Measuring and protective device for use with enema units



1966 F. WALDMAN ETAL 3,234,945

MEASURING AND PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR USE WITH ENEMA UNITS Filed Dec. 13,1963 INVENTORS LEONARD E WALDMAN JR.

ROBERT R. HARRISON ATTORNEY United States Patent 0 3,234,945 MEASURINGAND 'PRGTECTIVE DEVICE FUR USE WITH ENEMA UNITS Leonard F. Waidman, Jr.,Niles, and Robert RrHarrison,

Park Ridge, IlL, assignors to Baxter Laboratories, Inc.,

Morton Grove, 1th, a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 13, 1963, Ser.No. 332,331 1 Claim. (Cl. 128227) The present application is acontinuation-impart of our earlier application Serial No. 199,702, filedJune 4, 1962, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to a novel measuring and protective devicefor use with enema units.

In the past, it was customary and necessary to lubricate enema nozzlesimmediately prior to use. This act consisted of spreading whitepetrolatum, or the like, along the enema nozzle to facilitate itsinsertion. With the introduction of the disposable plastic enema units,which eliminated the need to Wash and sterilize reusable units, variousattempts were made to effect even greater time savin s by supplying suchunits with prelubricated enema tips. Such attempts have been uniformlyunsuccessful with the result that most of the disposable enema unitsstill require the manual administration of lubricant prior to use.

Another unsolved problem which accompanies the use of both theconventional and the recently introduced disposable plastic enema unitsis that of determining depth of insertion in cases where the so-calledhigh enema is administered. In such cases the enema tubing is insertedinto the body cavity of the patient much further than in conventionalpractice e.g. up to and exceeding 6 inches.

It is an object of the present invention to disclose a novel device thatover-comes the previously mentioned deficiencies of the prior artdevices.

It is further an object to disclose a novel protective device whichprevents the contamination of the enema nozzle prior to use.

These and still other objects will be apparent from the drawings anddescription which follows.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of an enema unit with an embodiment ofthe invention in place.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view showing the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 2.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings adisposable plastic enema unit 16 includes a bag portion 11, a length offlexible resilient tubing 12 of substantially uniform outer diameter, aclamp 13 and a tip portion 14.

Overriding the flexible resilient plastic tube 12 adjacent the tip 14 isa retaining member 15. The member 15 is shown in FIGURE 1 in engagedrelationship with vial-like member 16 to form the complete protectivemeans.

In FIGURES 2 and 3 it is seen that the member 15 is circular shaped witha circular central aperture 17 and passageway 17a. The aperture 17 isslightly smaller in diameter than the tubing 12 so that although themember '15 may be moved along the tubing 12 it will nevertheless retainits newly selected position. The member 15 is preferably furtherprovided with a downwardly dependent skirt 18, an annular portion 19which is slightly larger in diameter than the inner diameter of thevial-like protective member 16, thus providing a surface which willfrictionally engage the inner surface of said member 16.

In the preferred practice of the present invention the member 15 isformed of polypropylene, polyethyelne or the like. The aperture 17 whenintended for use with 3,234345 Patented Feb. 15, 19,66

French No. 24 tubing has a diameter of .300 inch which is slightlysmaller than that of the tubing. This enables the member ltd to berelatively easily placed upon the resilient flexible tube 12 andpositioned at a desired point along said tube. The downwardly extendingskirt 18 preferably has a maximum diameter of .500 inch at the annularportion 19. The diameter of the aperture 17 can vary considerably but,of course, should not be so small as to restrict flow through thetubing.

The protective member 16 is preferably of a slightly resilient materialsuch as polyethylene butyrate or propiouate or the like and is in theform of a cylindrical vial with a uniform inner diameter of .431 inchand a length of 2-4 inches. This size vial when used in conjunction withthe preferred member 15, deforms slightly to result in a fine closefitting leak-proof unit which contains sufficient lubricant 29 such aswhite petrolatum in addition to the tip 14 to allow adequate lubricationfor even a high enema. Generally for ease in filling with petrolatum andsubsequent handling, a flat bottom vial is preferred. However, ifdesired a suitable vial-like protective member may be formed by closingone end of a length of thermoplastic tubing by heat sealing or the like.

The unique cooperation of the retaining member 15 with the vial-likeprotective member 16 and the tube 12 with the undersized aperture 17 ofthe retaining member 15 and with the lubricant forms a structure whichis airtight and absolutely leak-proof. Therefore, it is possible whenemploying the structure of the present invention to dispose with the useof a clamp, such as the clamp 13, if desired, or the clamp 13 is merelyincluded to provide a convenient means of controlling flow of the enemasolution through the tube 12. A clamp is not even necessary to preventthe leaking of the solution from a prefilled enema bag when the novelmeasuring and protective device of the present invention is employed asthe entire unit is leak-proof making it unnecessary to use bead valves,clamps or similar type structures such as those which have been usedconventionally in the past.

Prior to use the vial-like member is rotated to insure properlubrication of the enema tip and disengaged from the member 15. Thevial-like member 16 is then compressed With the fingers to afford a firmgrip on the flexible tube 12 and the member 15 moved along the tube 12to any desired position. The vial-like member is then discarded and thetubing is grasped with the fingers immediately behind the member 15. Theenema tip is then inserted into the body cavity. With the depth ofinsertion having been predetermined by the positioning of the member 15it is relatively simple to insure the administration of the proper typeof enema i.e. normal or high enema. Furthermore, the entire operation isaccomplished with minimum contamination and inconvenience to theadministrator of the enema.

While for purposes of illustration a specific type of enema unit hasbeen described it will be readily understood that the device of thepresent invention may be utilized and commercialized in other forms. Forexample, if desired a length of flexible plastic tubing with the deviceof the present invention in place may be sold for use withnon-disposable metal enema cans or the like. Still further, of course,the device of the present invention may be used with rubber tubing ifdesired.

It will likewise be recognized by those skilled in the are that becauseof its leak-proof fit the device provides substantial advantages duringthe storage and shipping of prelubricated units. In the past one of thedrawbacks to the use of prelubricated devices has been the leakage oflubricant during storage especially at elevated temperatures. The uniquedevice of the present invention, however, has proved to be leak-proofeven when containing a liquid lubricant under conditions of elevatedstorage temperatures.

A Wide variety of changes and variations may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the present invention.

What we claim is:

In an enema unit comprising an enema solution container provided with anoutlet, a resilient flexible tube of substantially uniform outerdiameter connected to one end of said outlet and provided at the otherend with a rounded tip and tip protecting means, the improved tipprotecting means which comprises a relatively rigid generallycylindrical vial-like member open only at one end and positioned inprotective manner about said tip, said vial-like member containing alubricant for said tip and retaining means for retaining said vial-likemember in protective manner over said tip, said retaining meanscomprising a generally cylindrical member provided with a. centralaperture and overriding said tube, said central aperture being smallerin diameter than the resilient tubing so that it forms a leak-proof sealwith said tube and so that said retaining means normally retains itsposition upon said tube but can be manually moved along the entirelength of said tube if desired, said retaining means being furtherprovided with a downwardly extending skirt provided with an annularportion which is slightly larger in diameter than the inner diameter ofthe vial-like protective member, providing a surface engaging the innersurface of said protective member to form a leak-proof unit.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD A.GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

